This invention relates in general to wringer mops used to clean floors, and more particularly to so-called twist mops. In a twist mop, one end of the mop fibers is attached to a collar that can be twisted around the handle of the mop. The twisting action wrings the mop.
For some time it has been known that one of the problems with twist mops is that they have been difficult to wring adequately. Generally, more than one twist of the elements is required to obtain adequate wringing. Unfortunately, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,163, the mop tends to unwind as the user adjusts his or her hands to give the mop another twist. The awkward and laborious operation of repeatedly rotating the elements can be quickly tiring.
Several patents have been directed to trying to solve this problem.
The Morad patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,163, appears to show a releasable pawl (65) that can be mounted on the collar (18). The pawl engages a set of ribs (64) on the handle (12), preventing the handle and collar from rotating with respect to each other. In order to wring the mop, the user is required to depress a portion of the pawl that projects through an aperture (20) in the collar (forming a sort of button) while twisting the collar with respect to the handle. The user then releases the button, causing the pawl to reengage the ribs (thus holding the handle and collar in place) while the user changes the position of his or her hands in order to give the mop another twist. One problem with this device is that it is inconvenient to hold down the button while twisting the mop. Another problem is that the use of a separate collar, rib, pawl, and spring is relatively expensive and may be prone to failure.
Similarly, the Hsieh patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,417 appears to suggest the use of buttons that are pressed to temporarily lock the handle and collar together while the user adjusts his or her hands. Col. 8, lines 16-25.
The Sprecht application, international publication no. WO 97/24973, is also similar. In order to wring the mop, the user raises the collar (20) until a ratchet mechanism (23) on the collar nests within a spring-biased jaws (26, 27) mounted on the handle. The collar and handle can then be twisted with respect to each other while detents (31, 32) maintain the axial position of the collar with respect to the handle. After the mop is wrung, tabs (34, 35) on the jaws must be squeezed together in order to allow the collar to return to its lower position for mopping. This device appears to be relatively complicated, and thus costly and prone to breakage or failure.
The Cann et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,551, appears to teach that simpler solutions may be found by moving away from ratcheting mechanisms. The patent appears to show a mop with a sleeve (30) that is compressible against the handle (10). The compressibility of the sleeve enables the user to prevent the sleeve and handle from unwinding. The user simply presses the two elements together while he or she changes the position of his or her other hand on the handle. One problem with this design is that squeezing the elements together may itself be very tiring. Further, the mop does not appear to provide the user with a convenient way to change his or her grip on the collar without causing some unwinding.
What is needed is a simple self-wringing mop that is effective and easy to use.